


Back Again

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Alternate Universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2000-11-06
Updated: 2000-11-06
Packaged: 2019-05-15 03:34:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,929
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14782880
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: Mason finds out that he has a brother





	1. Back Again

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

Back Again

by AJ

Notes: Many thanks to Dallas for her help in the development of all the new characters that are to appear in this story.

Disclaimer: Not mine. 'Nuf said.

Summary: Mason finds out that he has a brother.

"Jed?" Abbey walked into their bedroom in the middle of the afternoon on Saturday.

"Yeah?" Came Jed's distracted response.

"What are you doing here? I thought you'd be working."

"Yeah." Jed replied.

"What's wrong, Jed?"

"I... uh... here," Jed handed her an envelope.

Abbey took one look at the name on the piece of paper in front of her, "Jed..."

"Yeah..."

"You found him?"

"Yeah."

"What are you going to do?"

"Bring him home, Abbey. Bring him home," Jed said.

"He's been gone for twenty three years, Jed. What makes you think you're going to be able to bring him back now?"

Jed paused and looked at his wife. He then grabbed the manila envelope from her hands and tossed it on the floor. "You know, Abigail. You look rather. . . hot today." Jed began to back her up against the bed. "Perhaps you should shed your clothes... I'll help..." Jed raised his brows playfully.

"I'm sure you will," she laughed as she fell softly against the bed and brought him down with her. "But you know... I may end up feeling a little over dressed. You in this suit and all..."

"There's an easy remedy for that, my dear," Jed loosened his tie and threw it off. "Very easy."

~~~

The next evening, Abbey and Jed were sitting in the living room of the residence, relaxing, enjoying a nice conversation when Charlie entered the room. "Uh, sir?"

"Yeah? What is it Charlie?"

"Sir, there's some people here to see you. They said you requested their presence as soon as possible."

"Who is it, Charlie?"

"Um, Olsen and Flash," Charlie answered.

"They're here?!" Jed shot up from the couch, shortly followed by Abbey.

"Yes, sir." Charlie said. "They are waiting just outside."

Jed turned to face Abbey, the excitement written all over his face. "Send them in, Charlie."

"Yes, sir." Charlie exited the room, and moments later, a 37-year-old man and a 4-year-old boy entered the living room.

"Olsen!" Jed cried out and rushed to pull the man into his arms. "It's been way too long. I've missed you."

"I've missed you too, JB."

With a tear streaking down his face, Jed let go of his embrace on the man, and got down on a knee so he would be level height with the boy. "So, you're Flash?"

"He doesn't talk, JB. Not since Marianne died."

Jed paused. "I read about her in your file... I'm really sorry, Ev."

"Yeah..." Olsen said weakly.

"Jeb, you asked to see me?" Mason walked into the living room, but stopped when he saw the two strangers.

"Yeah, come here Reeder," Jed said.

"Vett?" Mase cautiously approached his uncle. "What's going on?"

"Reeder, I want you to meet your... your brother..."

  

  


	2. Back Again 2

Back Again

by AJ

"Brother?!!!" Mason exclaimed.

"Yes, Reeder. Brother." Jed replied.

"I don't have a brother, Vett."

"Ev, Abbey, give us a minute?" Jed asked.

"Yeah, sure thing, Jed." Abbey said and walked Flash and Olsen out of the living room.

"Brother?"

"He was born 14 years before you. He and your father got into fights all of the time... ten times worse than anything you two got into... Jeremiah kicked him out, and Olsen gladly ran... He moved in with your Aunt Emily-"

"Who?" Mason asked.

"Your mom's youngest sister... No one but your brother ever liked her. . . When Jer kicked him out, that's where he went. Your dad quickly cut off any ties he had with the two of them, and forced everyone else to do the same."

"Brother?" Mase whispered.

"His name is Olsen Everett. He was named after both of your grandfathers. The past few years, he's been living in Chicago, as a firefighter. Until recently, when his wife, Marianne, also a firefighter, died."

"Brother?"

"Chicago fired him. Said he wasn't mentally competent to be a firefighter anymore. I've been looking for him, for a few years now. And I finally found him. I got him a job here, in DC. As a firefighter. Cause I wanted him home."

"Brother?"

"My hopes are that you won't hold anything against him. The fact that he ran, and never came back. It wasn't his fault. It wasn't Jer's fault. It just was."

"How did I not know?"

"Your dad didn't want you to know, son. He didn't want to remember. It was all too painful for him. But you know now. And he's right out there. . ."

"Brother?" Mason asked, and fell into the couch, a tear streaking down his face. "I have a brother?"

"Yes, Reeder. You have a brother. And I think if you go out there and talk with him, you'll find out that you have a lot in common with him."

"I... I can't... Vett."

"Yeah, Reeder, you can."

"No! I can't!" Mason got up and ran out of the living room, right past Abbey, Olsen and Flash.

  


	3. Back Again 3

Back Again

by AJ

When Mason started running, he didn't stop until he got outside and reached his 68 Camaro. He quickly fumbled to move inside the vehicle, and then rested his head against the steering wheel, letting the tears flow out of him.

"Mason?" A voice called out.

"Who are you?" Mason asked, not turning his gaze to meet with the intruder.

"I'm your brother." Olsen answered.

"I don't have a brother."

"Mase, I-"

"Don't call me that! Don't call me Mase! Only people I know get to call me Mase! I don't know you. You don't get to call me Mase!!"

Olsen took a step back, "Okay, I won't call you Mase."

"Good." Mason patted down his jean pockets looking for his car keys, not realizing he left them in the car door.

"Looking for these?" Olsen asked, pulling them out of the door and dangling them just out of Mason's reach.

"Give me those!" Mason reached out for them, and Olsen took a step back. "Damnit! Give me my keys!"

"We need to talk, Mason."

"I don't want to talk to you. I don't know you." Mason shouted.

"So talk to me. Get to know me."

"Give me my keys," Mason got out of his car and tackled Olsen down to the ground. "Just give me my keys so I can run away."

Olsen clenched the keys inside his fist tightly, "No, Mason. I'm not giving them to you. You're not running from me, like I ran from you."

"Why the hell not?!" Mason snapped.

"Because I need a brother. I need my brother. For 23 years, I've tried to hang on to those few memories I've had of you. Sneaking into your nursery room in the middle of the night to watch you sleep... playing with you everyday when I got home from school... It nearly killed me to leave you and Mom. But I couldn't stay. I couldn't stay with him, Mason. I couldn't live like that."

Mason broke out into a million sobs, as he climbed off his brother and curled his legs up, bringing his knees into his chest, and his head in his knees. "Get away from me," He cried out when he felt Olsen's hand on his back. "Get the hell away from me. I don't need a brother. I don't need anyone..." Mason trailed off, as his cries took over.

Not knowing what to do, how hard to push, what to say, Olsen stood and slowly moved back inside the White House. He went back to the residence, to the living room, where Flash was watching some cartoons, and Jed and Abbey were quietly talking about Flash, Olsen, and Mason.

"It was a mistake coming back, JB. I'm sorry." Olsen moved over and picked Flash up. "I'm not going to take that job with DCFD... Flash and I will go back to Chicago. We have some friends there... I can get a job doing something... I just shouldn't have come back."

"Olsen, don't run. You've been running for way too long. Don't do it anymore. Please, I'm begging you," Jed stood. "I'm begging you, don't go. Reeder will get over this. He will. You two will be acting like you should have been all along. Just don't go."

"JB, I... I can't stay... I'm sorry."

"Let me talk with him again. Let me talk to Mason. Please, Olsen. I just got you back. Don't leave me. Let me talk to him. Don't do anything until I talk with him. Please."

  


	4. Back Again 4

Back Again

by AJ

"Reeder?" Jed touched Mason's shoulder, and Mason immediately flew into Jed's arms.

"Why, Vett?" Mason buried his face in Jed's embrace. "Why didn't anyone tell me?"

"I... I don't know, Son... And... I'm sorry... but, you know now. You know you have a brother. And he's right inside there. He's right in there. And he wants to get to know you. Almost as much as you need to get to know him."

"Vett..."

"Reeder, I can hear the hurt in your voice. When you look at me, I can see the pain in your eyes. But above all of that, I see and hear the excitement from the fact that you have a brother. So... come back in... give him a chance. Hell, you never know, you might just like him."

"You..." Mase sniffled and pulled away. "You think so?"

"There's only one way to find out," Jed stood and pulled Mase up with him.

~~~

"The two of you have a lot in common, you know?" Abbey said as she sat down next to Olsen.

"No. I don't know, Abbey. I don't know him. I don't know anything about him... my brother." Olsen took Flash into his arms.

"Well then, I'll tell you about him," Abbey started. "For as long as I can remember, he's wanted to be a secret service agent. Went to Duke, where he had a full scholarship for baseball."

"Really?"

"He was a catcher, just like you," Abbey smiled.

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Did... did Dad and him fight like we used to?"

"They had some fights. Never as bad as the two of yours. And really, only after your mother died."

"She died?"

"Yeah..." Abbey placed a hand on Olsen's back. "About nine years ago... Her death really changed your father. He became more withdrawn. Focussed more at work. Spent less time at home with Mason. And the time they did spend together... Jer was always trying to convince him to become a lawyer."

"He never gave up," Olse smiled weakly and kissed the top of Flash's head.

"No, he didn't," Abbey paused for a long moment. "Mason's a good kid. He's finally getting his life together... good job... great friends... and Donna."

"Donna?"

"Mason's girlfriend," Abbey smiled. "Soon to be fianc"e."

"Oh?"

"Yeah," Abbey smiled some more. "I helped him pick out the ring."

"Sounds like he has a full life... like he doesn't need a brother," Olsen stood. "Tell JB thanks for the help with the job and everything else... but I just... I have to go..."

"Please stay," came Mase's voice.

Olsen was quick to turn around, "Mason... "

"Please," Mason paused until Jed and Abbey were both out of the room. "Don't go... Don't leave me again. Please?"

"Mason... I..."

"I want a brother... I need my brother."

Tears slowly streamed down Olsen's face, "Me too," he said as the two came together in a tight embrace.

TBC...


End file.
